Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. Has $6.32 Million Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 9.2% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 27,723 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,347 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $6,322,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Kovack Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 23.1% during the 4th quarter. Kovack Advisors Inc. now owns 1,692 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $386,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares during the last quarter. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. now owns 240,779 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $54,907,000 after purchasing an additional 5,000 shares during the last quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 81,334 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,547,000 after purchasing an additional 249 shares during the last quarter. Convergence Financial LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Convergence Financial LLC now owns 7,695 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,755,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cable Hill Partners LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 7.1% during the 4th quarter. Cable Hill Partners LLC now owns 3,013 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $687,000 after acquiring an additional 201 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNP has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Guggenheim lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Benchmark raised their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.40.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $246.94 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $149.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.27, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The business has a 50-day moving average of $239.46 and a 200-day moving average of $240.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Union Pacific Company Profile

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, renewable biofuel producers, and other agricultural users; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.